Local authority appointees
The local authority Members are serving councillors appointed by:
- County councils within the National Park - five from North Yorkshire County Council, one from Cumbria County Council and one from Lancashire County Council
- District councils within the National Park - three from Craven District Council, two from Richmondshire District Council and one Member from each of South Lakeland District Council, Eden District Council and Lancaster City Council.
It is preferred that as county or district councillors, the local authority appointees should represent constituents living within the National Park. Their divisions or wards should ideally be situated either wholly or partly within the National Park. Local authorities are encouraged to consider this when appointing councillors to be Members of the National Park Authority.
Appointments are normally made by local authorities at their annual meetings following elections. County council elections are held every four years, while district council elections are held on four-yearly cycles that are specific to each council:
- Craven and South Lakeland District Councils each elect one third of their councillors each year (except in the year of a County Council election).
- Richmondshire District Council, Eden District Council and Lancaster City Council elect all councillors at the same time.
'National' Secretary of State appointees
'National' Members are chosen through an open recruitment exercise, conducted by Defra on behalf of the Secretary of State. Vacancies are advertised in the press and on this website.
In selecting Members, the Secretary of State for the Environment will look for people who have a national perspective of the issues facing National Parks, and experience in a combination of fields. Members will be selected for their personal abilities. In some cases preference will be given to those who have a particular expertise which the Authority may be lacking.
'National' Members are appointed initially for four years at a time. They are eligible for reappointments for up to a maximum of 10 years.
'Parish' Secretary of State appointees
'Parish' appointments are made by the Secretary of State on the recommendation of parishes within the National Park. To be eligible, people must be either a serving parish councillor or the chairman of a parish meeting. The National Park Authority has four 'parish Members' to represent the following parishes:
- One for Richmondshire parishes:
Arkengarthdale, Askrigg and Low Abbotside, Aysgarth & District, Bainbridge, Burton cum Walden, Caldbergh with East Scrafton, Carlton Highdale, Carlton Town, Carperby cum Thoresby, Castle Bolton, Coverham with Agglethorpe, Downholme, East Witton, Grinton & Ellerton Abbey, Hawes & High Abbotside, Hudswell, Marrick, Marske & New Forest, Melbecks, Melmerby, Muker, Reeth, West Scrafton and West Witton. - One for the Craven Wharfedale (east) parishes:
Appletreewick, Arncliffe, Barden, Beamsley, Bolton Abbey, Buckden, Burnsall, Conistone-with-Kilnsey, Conistone Cold & Bell Busk, Cracoe, Embsay-with-Eastby, Grassington, Halton East, Halton Gill, Hartlington, Hawkswick, Hazelwood-with-Storiths, Hebden, Hetton, Kettlewell-with-Starbotton, Linton, Litton, Rylstone, Thorpe and Threshfield. - One for the Craven Airedale (west) parishes:
Airton, Austwick, Calton, Clapham, Eshton, Flasby-with-Winterburn, Gargrave, Giggleswick, Hanlith, Hellifield, Horton in Ribblesdale, Ingleton, Kirkby Malham, Langcliffe, Long Preston, Malham, Malham Moor, Otterburn, Scosthrop, Settle, Stainforth, Stirton-with-Thorlby and Thornton-in-Lonsdale. - One for South Lakeland, Eden, and Lancaster City parishes:
Garsdale, Dent, Sedbergh, and the western parishes Asby, Bandleyside, Crosby Garrett, Crosby Ravensworth, Kings Meaburn, Kirkby Stephen, Mallerstang, Musgrave, Nateby, Orton, Ravenstonedale, Shap Rural, Soulby, Tebay, Waitby, Wharton, Barbon, Casterton, Firbank, Grayrigg, Killington, Kirkby Lonsdale, Mansergh, Middleton, Ireby & Leck, and Burrow with Burrow.
In May 2019, a vacancy will arise for the Richmondshire parishes and all the parishes in this group will be invited to nominate a candidate. If you would like more details on the procedure for standing as a candidate, please contact secretariat@yorkshire.dales.org.uk
Parish councillors are initially appointed to the National Park Authority for four years. However, subject to re-election by the group of parishes, they can remain as a Member as long as they remain a parish councillor. When there is a vacancy for a 'parish' Member, parish councils and parish meetings are invited to propose a candidate. If there is more than one candidate, an election amongst the parish councils is held to determine the name of the candidate. This is then submitted to the Secretary of State for approval.
